The forum of APC state legislatures in the North Central has promised Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi of their support to help him realise his desire to become Nigeria’s president in 2023.

This is contained in a communiqué at the end of an extraordinary meeting of the forum on Thursday in Abuja read by the former Speaker of Niger House of Assembly, Ahmed Marafa.

“The State Assembly Legislators of the North Central endorse and state their unalloyed and unshaking support for the aspiration of the young and ebullient Gov. Yahaya Bello, who has against all odds decided to take the bull by the horn, by Aspiring to the office of the Presidency of Nigeria come 2023.

“The members thank him for leading the clarion call for the presidency of Nigeria to come to the North central Zone and urge him to have no fear or doubt in his race for the exalted office as members of the North central zone are solidly behind him,” he said.

Mr Marafa said the forum agreed that it was the turn of the north central to produce Nigeria’s president in 2023.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Speaker of the Kogi House of Assembly, Matthew Kolawole, said that since independence only the north central was yet to produce an elected president or vice president.

Mr Kolawole said the zone had been marginalised, neglected and missing on the leadership map of the country in spite of the continued pivotal role it has played in stabilising the country.

“There is no gainsaying that the zone is blessed with credible and prominent personalities who have contributed and still contributing to the overall development of the country.

“Hence the zone should be given the opportunity to produce the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the assembly speaker said.

He urged the APC leadership not to zone the position of the party’s national chairman to the zone. “We are interested in and will be making strong bids for the next President of Nigeria,” he said.

(NAN)